Net zero skills centre opens in Ipswich

Suffolk New College in Ipswich has opened a net zero skills centre, complete with a sustainable construction area.  

The college partnered with businesses including Morgan Sindall to deliver the construction area, which includes examples of construction materials that improve building sustainability.  

The facility, which benefited from £940,000 of government funding from the Ipswich Town Deal, will support training for students and businesses. 

Alister Broadberry, area director for Morgan Sindall Construction in the Eastern Counties, said: “Sustainable construction skills are a vital and much in demand part of today’s building sector, as they are essential to tackling the challenging green targets we need to meet as an industry and as a society.    
 
“This is why we’re excited to be working with Suffolk New College on their net zero skills centre, as its comprehensive sustainable construction training will help embed advanced environmental awareness, knowledge and capabilities into tomorrow’s built environment workforce.  

“Being an industry partner of Suffolk New College is a great way to provide students with an insight into the industry, and how the skills they are learning align with Morgan Sindall’s Intelligent Solutions approach and commitment to net zero carbon.”   

Other facilities at the centre include air and ground source heat pumps, solar panel maintenance and installation equipment, a water harvesting area, a hybrid and electric vehicle studio and an electric boiler room.

The opening of the new centre builds on a collaborative project that has seen colleges in Norfolk and Suffolk join forces to embed sustainability across their curriculums, culminating in a New Anglia Green Skills summit held in Ipswich earlier this year. 

Alan Pease, principal and chief executive at Suffolk New College, said: “Green skills are one of the biggest growth areas in terms of jobs (and well paid jobs) so it’s really important for colleges to be providing courses and facilities that are related to sustainability.

“We are at the start of a very exciting journey to deliver an outstanding curriculum in this fantastic new resource.  We are working with key employers to find out what skills and training are needed and building our offer from there.”